The invention relates generally to amusement devices in the form of rolling ball or pinball games and, more particularly, to play features for such games.
Pinball games typically feature an inclined playfield with a number of play features, such as ramps, targets, bumpers and the like, mounted and arranged thereon. A player operates flippers mounted on the playfield to direct game balls at the play features in an attempt to score points and control the play of the game.
The player interest and appeal generated by a pinball game largely depends upon the novelty and challenge presented by its play features. Play features having entertaining visual effects also provide a pinball game with increased player interest and appeal. Accordingly, there is a constant demand for pinball game manufacturers to design novel, challenging and visually entertaining play features.
One popular play feature is the ball popper. Ball poppers typically include a recess for trapping the game ball on or below the playfield for a period of time until an ejection device projects the ball back into play. Ejection of the ball from the recess is usually accomplished by a solenoid plunger mechanism. The solenoid plunger is typically activated by the pinball game microprocessor after a period of time has transpired or when the player has achieved a predetermined score or struck a certain target. Ball detection switches placed near or within the recess signal the microprocessor that a ball is within the recess.
Most prior art ball poppers have been used solely to return game balls to the playfield. The present invention discloses a novel use of a ball popper. In addition, player control of most prior art ball poppers has been very limited. A ball popper that could be controlled by the player would offer the player an additional challenge above and beyond merely directing the game ball with the game flippers.
It is known in the art that a pinball may be controlled by an electromagnet positioned upon or under a playfield. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,403 to Ritchie et al. discloses a ball well with an electromagnetic coil surrounding its entrance. A playfield-mounted ball sensor detects when a game ball is near the well entrance and briefly energizes the electromagnetic coil. As a result, the ball is pulled towards the well entrance, and the momentum created thereby causes the ball to travel into the well where it is retained. When specific game conditions are met, the ball is ejected back onto the playfield. This is accomplished by once again briefly energizing the electromagnet to pull the ball towards the well entrance so that it is propelled out of the well.
As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,725 to Ritchie discloses an electromagnet positioned under a playfield near an entry port to an exit lane and a means manually operable by a player for energizing the electromagnet. The orientation of the electromagnet is such that when it is energized, the game ball is pulled away from the exit lane entry port so that it remains in play.
While both of the above patents use electromagnets to control the position of a game ball upon the playfield, neither discloses the combination of an electromagnet with a plunger-activated ball popper. More specifically, neither patent discloses the use of an electromagnet to keep a game ball properly positioned within or upon a ball popper after the ball has been "popped." Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,303 uses an electromagnet, as opposed to a plunger, as a means of ejecting a game ball onto the playfield.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a play feature that utilizes a ball popper in a novel manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a play feature that utilizes a player-controlled ball popper to challenge a player's skill.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a play feature that combines a ball popper with an electromagnet so that the game ball may be controlled as it is "popped."